Methods of and machines for turning the heel covers of shoes



March 20, 1956 B. F. PARRELLI 2,738,526

METHODS 0E AND MACHINES EOE TURNING THE HEEL covEEs 0E sHoEs Filed June 26. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l nven tar March 20, 1956 B. F. PARRELLI METHODS OF AND MACHINES FOR TURNING THE HEEL COVERS OF' SHOES Filed June 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O METHODSOF ANDLMACHINES FOR TURNING 'I'HE HEEL COVERS OF SHOES Benjamin F. Parrelli, Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June` 26, 1952, Serial No. 295,691

` Claims. (Cl. 12-1) Thisu invention relates .to the manufacture of footwear and more particularly to methods, of and machines for turning theheel covers of shoes. The invention is herein exemplified" in' relation to a platform shoe upon which a wedge heel has already been spotted.

The spotting ofv the` wedgeA heel before the turning of the heel cover affords several advantages, such for example, as enabling the operator to spot the wedge heel accurately upon the platform or, as an alternative, to spot it slightly Within the heel end of the platform and then to remove excess material from the platform to render 'the heel end of the platform flush with the adjoiningsurface ofthe heel. However, the spotting of the heel' before the platform cover is. turned has hitherto presented a diiculty in that the unattached margin of the platform cover in being turned over the edge of the platforml may be unduly stretched and, in any event, can be turned only with the expenditure of considerable `elort'. This condition is intensified in operations upon heels having a pronounced rake, particularly when the heels` are high..

It isy an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of manufacturing footwear and an improvedjmachine which, can be used in the carrying out of such a method, with a view to overcoming the difficulty above .pointed out. In carrying out the invention the upper, the sock lining, the heel cover, the forepart platform cover and the platform of a shoe are first secured together; then. aheel is spotted upon the heel portion of the platform; then, ifv desired, material may be removed from the platform to render the peripheral surface` of; the. heelv andthe platform smoothly continuous with eachother.; and finally the heel cover is turned over the. heel. The shoe bottom, consisting at this stage of theV sock lining. and the platform, is maintained flexed during the turning operation to relieve tension in the unattached margin of the heel. cover. Such flexure is rendered possible by reason of the fact that the relatively stiff wedge heel isV spotted to the exible platform only over a restricted area adjacent to the heel end of the platform, leaving the remainder of the platform free to 4surface of they heel and the heel end of the platform within the shoe.

invention is generic to an invention disclosed in. United States; Letters Patent No. 2,690,573, granted October 5y 19154, on the. application of Vincent P. Romeo and directed to a heel cover turning machine of this type; but having a different device for holding the shoe while enabling the shoe bottom to be flexed.

The present" inventiony consists in the novel features hereinafter described; reference being hadto the accompanying'drawings, which `illustrate one embodimenty of the same, selected for purposesof illustration, andthe said invention is'fullydisclosed in the following description andI claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an illustrative machin embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation showing the shoe and agrippermechanism at the beginning-of' the turning operation;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the shoe and gripper at an intermediate stageV of the operation;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and3 showing the shoe and gripper at the completionV of the operation;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V-V of Fig. 1'; and

Fig, 6' is an` end viewl of a gripper as seen looking in the direction of the arrows, VI-VI on Fig. 2.,

The present invention is disclosed herein with reference to an illustrativeshoe (best shown in Fig. 2) consisting of an upper U', a heel cover C, a forepart platform cover C', a sock lining, S., a platform P of cork composition or other flexible material, and a wedgev heel H of wood or other relatively rigidl material. The upper U and also the covers C andC' are joined by stitching to the margin of the Sock lining S, and the platform P is cemented to the sock lining. In the illustrative shoe shown herein, it so happens that the upper Uv does not extend all the way around the toe and` heel ends; it should be understood, however, that the invention applies equally well with reference to shoes. having closed toes and heels. Formed aroundl the entire periphery of the platform P is` arabbet, R into which the seam of the covers C and C', and also of the upper U`, with the sock lining Scan extendwhen the platform covers have been turned. The forepart cover C is shownasalready having been turned, either manually or by the aid of any simple device. The heel, H is cemented or spotted to the platform P only over a restricted. area adjacent to the heel end of the platform, leaving the remainder of the platform and the sock lining, which, together constitute the shoe bottom, free to llex.

The illustrated. machine for turning the heel cover C has a device for supporting or holding a shoe. against heightwise. movement, which device comprises an upper clamping` member 10,` best. shown in Fig. 4, anda lower clamping member 12, best. shown in Figs. 2 and 3.` The machinehas also a heel cover turning device comprising a gripper jaw 14 and a cooperating gripper jaw 16. The upper clamping member 10, which is engageable with a restricted area of` the. interior surface of the platform P adjacent to the heel end of the platform, is hoof-shaped and generally complemental to the interior of they unturned heel cover C. It is pivotally mounted for angular "ice self-adjustment about a pin 18 carried by a stationary supporting bar 20, theupper end portion of which (-Fig. l) is claimped byv a pair of clamping screws 22 to a stationary member 24 extending from a frame 25 which constitutes the supporting structure of the machine. The upper portion ofthe bar 20 and the cooperating portion of the frame member 24 are provided with interengaging teeth to hold the bar against undesired heightwise movement. The lower portion of the bar 20 has a curvature indicated by the reference numeral 26 to enable the bar to extend -down with an inclination corresponding approximately to that of the unturned heel cover C. The lower end'portion of the bar 20 is relatively thin to enable it to extend into a slot. provided in the upper clamping member 10.

Thelower clampingfinember 12 has a. knurled; upper surface which engages the tread surface of the heel H and not only supports the heel but holds it from slipping. This clamping member 12 is formed upon the upper end of a plunger 28 which is slidable heightwise in a bearing formed in an extension 27 of the machine frame 25. This plunger 28 is normally held down by a spring 30 hooked at its upper end to a pair of ears 32 formed on the lower end of the plunger and hooked at its lower end to a lug 34 extending from the frame 25. The plunger 28 is raised to bring the clamp 12 into operative position by a lever 36 fulcrumed upon a pin 38 secured in the frame 25. The lever 36 has a forward end portion extending between the ears 32 and engageable with a surface formed on the plunger 28. Pivotally connected by a pin 40 to the rearward portion of the lever 36 is a rod 42, the lower end of which is pivotally connected by a pin 44 to a treadle j 46 fulcrumed upon a pin 48 secured in the frame 25. 1t is evident that depression of the treadle 46 serves to raise the clamp 12 into its operating position. In order to hold the clamp 12 in such position and to maintain it there with suitable clamping pressure against the heel H, the machine is provided with a ratchet 50 fulcrumed upon a pin 52 secured in the frame 25. The ratchet 50 has teeth 54 which engage a pawl 56 secured on the treadle 46 by screws 58. A tension spring 62, stretched between a pin 'on the machine frame and an upper extension 66 of the ratchet 50, yieldingly maintains the ratchet in latching position from which the operator can readily release it by kicking a toe piece 64 fixed to the ratchet.

The gripper jaw 14 (Fig. 2) is formed upon the upper end of a rod 68 which extends down in telescoping relation within a tubular rod 70 (see also Fig. l). The gripper jaw 16 is fulcrumed upon a pin 72 secured in a portion of the rod 68 which lies between the upper end of the rod 70 and the jaw 14. The jaw 16 has an extension 74 below the fulcrum 72, said extension having formed in it an inclined slot 76 in sliding engagement with a pin 78 carried by a pair of ears 80 which constitute the upper end portion of the tubular rod 70. Formed in the rod 68 is a longitudinal slot S2 which also engages the pin 78. The lowerend of the tubular rod 70 is pivotally connected by a pin 84 to a treadle 86 fulcrumed upon a pin 88 mounted in the machine frame. The treadle S6 is normally held up against a heightwise adjustable stop (not shown) by a tension spring 90. The lower portion of the rod 68 is slabbed off as indicated by the reference numeral 92 in Fig. 1 to provide a pair of flat surfaces for engagement with a pair of friction braking elements 94 (Fig. 5) which engage the opposite flat surfaces of the rod. The braking elements 94 are slidable in bores formed in a block 96 and disposed transversely of the rod 68, the braking elements being urged against the rod 68 by compression springs 98 backed by plugs 100 threaded into the ends of said bores. The block 96 is supported by a pair of parallel links 102, the

lower ends of which pivotally engage reduced end portions of the block 96 and the upper ends of which are pivotally hung for free swinging movement upon a pin 104 secured in the machine frame. The lower portion of the tubular rod 70 is slotted as indicated by the reference numeral 106 to provide access of the brake elements 94 to the rod 63. It is evident that depression of the treadle 86 will exert a downward thrust through the tubular rod 70 upon the pin 78 and that said pin will thereupon exert a camming action upon the edge of the slot 76 tending to close the upper gripepr jaw 16. Downward movementof the rod 68 is yieldingly resisted by the frictional braking action of the brake elements 94.

With the gripper jaws 14 and 16 open, the operator bends the heel end of the heel cover C and inserts it between the jaws; then depression of the treadle first closes the jaw 16 and further depression pulls down both jaws in gripping engagement with the work. The friction of the brakes 94, which can be adjusted by turning the plugs 100, determines the force with which the jaws 14 and 16 grip the work. Grippers of this type are disclosed in 4 United States Letters Patent No. 1,722,502 and No. 2,201,866, granted July 30, 1929 and May 21, 1940 respectively, both in the name of Robert H. Lawson.

To facilitate the turning operation, the machine is provided with a device, best shown in Fig. 6, for maintaining the heel cover C in substantially its normal state of curvature as it is being turned. This device consists of a guide 108 of resilient sheet metal curved to the general shape of the unturned heel cover C at the heel end of the shoe. The guide 10S is secured to the concave side of the gripper jaw 14 and it constitutes a yielding extension of the jaw to keep the cover expanded as it is being turned.

1n view of the inclination or rake of the heelward end of the heel H, it is desirable to guide the closed gripper jaws 14 and 16 in a path corresponding to this inclination. Accordingly, the machine is provided with a cam 110 engageable with an L-shaped member 112 which is pivotally mounted on the pin 72 and has a depending arm 114 bearing against the outside of the tubular rod 70. The cam 110 is secured for heightwise adjustment on the frame 25 by screws 116, one of which is shown in Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention, the upper U, the heel cover C, and the forepart platform cover C are attached to the sock lining S by stitching. The platform P and the sock lining S are then cemented together over their entire adjoining surfaces. While the heel cover C is still unturned, the heel H is cemented or spotted to the platform P only over a restricted area adjacent to the heel end of the platform, leaving the remainder of the shoe bottom free to flex about an axis which is transverse to the shoe. The heel H can be spotted accurately while the heel cover C is unturned or, if desired, it can be spotted slightly within the margin of the platform P and then the excess margin of the platform can be trimmed (by an abrading wheel or otherwise) to render the platform ush with the heel H.

With the various parts of the shoe thus assembled, the operator holds the shoe right side up with the toe toward him and depresses the treadle 46, from the position shown in broken lines to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, until he has clamped the heel end of the shoe between the members 10 and 12. The ratchet 50 and the pawl 56 hold the treadle 46 and maintain a clamping pressure between the members 10 and 12. The shoe is thus held stationary by a clamping pressure which is exerted over a locality adjacent to the heel end of the shoe, leaving the major portion of the flexible shoe bottom free to ex. The operator then, with both hands, bends over the heel end of the margin of the heel cover C, inserts it between the jaws 14 and 16, and depresses the treadle 86 enough to close the jaws on the cover. He then, with a hand on each side of the shoe, grasps the shoe and inserts his index fingers between the wedge heel and the shoe bottom to flex the shoe bottom as shown in Figs 2 and 3 into a hump and, while holding the shoe thus flexed, he depresses the treadle 86 to turn the heel cover down into the position shown in Fig. 4, removing his fingers from beneath the shoe bottom as the turning nears completion. He can, if desirable, assist the turning of the cover with his thumbs. The hoof-shaped clamping member 10 supports the cover from crumpling or collapsing inwardly during the early portion of the turning operation, and the cam 110 insures that the gripper will follow the rake of the heel and not needlessly stretch the cover during the latter portion of the operation. When the cover has thus been turned, the operator releases the treadle 86 and lets the spring 90 return the gripper 14, 16 to initial position, the gripper first opening automatically to release the cover. The toe piece 64 is then kicked to release the ratchet 50 from the pawl 56 and permit the treadle 46 to rise to initial position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: v

l. A method of manufacturing footwear including the following steps: spotting a heel to a shoe bottom over a restricted area of the heel adjacent to the heel end of the heel while leaving the remainder of the shoe bottom and heel unattached to permit liexure of the remainder of the shoe bottom, and flexing the unattached portion of the shoe bottom to relieve tension in the heel cover while turning the heel cover.

2. A method of manufacturing footwear including the following steps: incorporating into a partially assembled V shoe a deformable platform, spotting a heel to the platform over a restricted area of the heel adjacent to the heel end of the heel while leaving the remainder of the platform unattached to the heel and free to llex, and ex ing the unattached portion of the platform into a hump to relieve tension in the heel cover while turning the heel cover.

3. In a heel cover turning machine, means for holding a shoe while leaving the shoe bottom free to flex, a gripper for gripping the margin of an unturned heel cover of the shoe, and means for moving the gripper heightwise of the shoe to turn the heel cover while the shoe bottom 1 is flexed to relieve tension in the heel cover as the latter is turned over the heel end of the shoe.

4. In a heel cover turning machine, means for holding the heel portion of a shoe while leaving the shoe bottom free to ilex, a gripper having a pair of jaws engageable with the margin of an unturned heel cover of the shoe, means for moving the gripper heightwise of the shoe to cause it to turn the heel cover while the shoe bottom is exed to relieve tension in the heel cover as the latter is turned over the heel end of the shoe, and means operated by said moving means for closing one of the gripper jaws relatively to the other to grip the heel cover during the initial portion of the operation of the moving means.

5. In a heel cover turning machine, means for holding the heel portion of a shoe while leaving the shoe bottom free to ex, a gripper for gripping the margin of an unturned heel cover of the shoe, means for moving the gripper heightwise of the shoe to turn the heel-cover while the shoe bottom is flexed to relieve tension in the heel cover as the latter is turned over the heel end of the shoe, and means for guiding the gripper in a path which follows approximately the heightwise inclination of the heel end of the unturned heel cover.

6. In a heel cover turning machine, means for holding the heel portion of a shoe whileleaving the shoe bottom free to ex, a gripper for gripping the margin of an unturned heel cover of the shoe, means for moving the gripper heightwise of the shoe to turn the heel cover while the shoe bottom is flexed to relieve tension in the heel cover as the latter is turned over the heel end of the shoe,

and a member adapted to fit within the unturned heel cover and having a smooth inclined surface for sustaining the cover against collapse as the gripper turns the cover over the heel end of the shoe bottom.

7. In a heel cover turning machine, a pair of clamping members adapted to apply clamping pressure to a restricted area of the shoe bottom adjacent to the heel end of the shoe while leaving the major portion of the shoe bottom free to ex, a gripper for gripping the margin of an unturned heel cover of the shoe, and means for moving the gripper heightwise of the shoe to turn the heel cover while the shoe bottom is exed to relieve tension in the heel cover as the latter is turned over the heel end of the shoe.

8. In a heel cover turning machine, an upper clamping member adapted to tit within a shoe and to engage a restricted area of the inside surface of the shoe bottom adjacent to the heel end of the shoe, a lower clamping member engageable with the tread surface of the shoe bottom, means for raising the lower clamping member to cause it to press the shoe bottom against the upper clamping member and thereby to hold the shoe while leaving the major portion of the shoe bottom free to ex, a gripper for gripping the margin of an unturned heel cover of the shoe, and means for moving the gripper heightwise of the shoe to turn the heel cover while the shoe bottom is exed to relieve tension in the heel cover as the latter is turned over the heel end of the shoe.

9. In a heel cover turning machine, means for holding a shoe, means for gripping the margin of an unturned heel cover at the heel end of the shoe, means for effecting relative movement between the holding means and the gripping means to cause the heel cover to be turned, and a guide curved to the general curvature of the heel cover at the heel end of the shoe to maintain the heel cover in substantially its normal state of curvature as the heel cover is being turned.

l0. In a heel cover turning machine, means for holding a shoe, a gripper jaw engageable with the inner surface of the margin of an unturned heel cover at the heel end of the shoe, a gripper jaw cooperating with the rst-mentioned gripper jaw and engageable with the outer surface of the margin of the unturned heel cover, means for moving the jaws while in gripping engagement with the cover to cause the cover to be turned, and a guide of resilient sheet metal curved to the general curvature of the heel cover at the heel end of the shoe and constituting in eiect a lateral extension of the first-mentioned gripper jaw, said guide being movable with the grippers to maintain the heel cover in substantially its normal state of curvature as the heel cover is being turned.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,257,583 Cosgrove et al Feb. 26, 1918 

